The Marchand Dessalines police station was completely destroyed on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, by the Kokorat san ras gang from La Croix-Périsse and the Gran grif gang from Savien, who “joined forces” in the City of the Emperor, according to Vice-delegate Dunelson Duval. Using sledgehammers between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., the bandits took the necessary time to demolish the Haitian National Police (PNH) building, while the population had been waiting for months for the 16 officers assigned to the commune.
Following arson attacks by the Kokorat san ras gang in July 2025, efforts were made to repair the premises, which remained empty until this second, more disastrous criminal operation. The executive branch representative for the district questioned the “irresponsible” behavior of the departmental police authorities. Duval estimates that 70% of Marchand Dessalines’ residents have fled to Gonaïves, Saint-Michel, or Saint-Marc. He warned that those with nowhere to go face acute famine, as farming has become impossible.
The Vice-delegate revealed that he had communicated with the departmental director of the PNH and central government authorities multiple times, informing them as early as the third week of April 2026 that gangsters were photographing the station and planning its destruction. Despite an official request for urgent reinforcement sent on April 22, no action was taken. Addressing the population, Duval urged citizens to “think three times” before voting in future elections, stating that elected officials have plunged the country into “this hell.” Local media reports suggest the town is becoming a “lost territory,” with the court, schools, and economic institutions now closed.
